Collins: "Young Players Rose To The Challenge"

Crewe Alexandra’s assistant manager James Collins says that certain performances at Accrington will have given Steve Davis food for thought. The Railwaymen ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in the EFL Trophy with second half goals from youngsters Callum Ainley, George Cooper and a late first goal from sub Daniel Udoh.

Crewe thoroughly deserved the victory at the Crown Ground and Collins says that some impressive displays will give the manager a selection headache ahead of our weekend game against Doncaster Rovers.

James told the club’s official web-site: “I think that the ones that played on Tuesday, who haven’t started too many games for the first team this season, showed that they want to challenge for a place.

“That is what you want. You don’t want 11 good players and the rest of them happy to cruise in the Under-23s. You want them to put pressure on those ahead of them and they did that.

“That gives the manager a tough decision to make and the difficulty he has that he cannot put the young players in all at once. The skill is to dip them in and out at the right time. They have shown that they are up for the challenge and want to push on and establish themselves in the first team.

“With a small squad and the rule change about loaning in, I would imagine that we will need them all at some point this season. So to see them play with some zest and skill at Accrington was encouraging.”